Hive & Seek

One year, Macey was able to go on a Florida spring break with a friend’s family which left me at home with two disgruntled kids. We didn’t have the funds for an elaborate spring break that year, so I planned a few days trip to Gettysburg. I THOUGHT this would be a cool vacation. We were getting out of town. It was somewhere we could drive to fairly quickly. It was definitely warmer than Michigan… not Florida warm, but warmer. I love history and so what better place to go? Chuck was excited too and decided to take a few days off to join us.

We packed up the car and the kids and drove the 12 hours from northern Michigan to Gettysburg. I had to take Dramamine, of course, because of the hills and twists and turns… I had no idea how hilly Pennsylvania is. I always thought of it as a flat plain. Obviously, I was wrong.

We arrived in Gettysburg late, but planned to explore a bit the next day. We spent the next day driving around listening to a Gettysburg cd. It was torture for the kids who had spent the previous day penned up in the car. Not one of my best vacation planning moments!

Trying to make up for the vacation planning faux paux, I searched for something that I thought the kids might enjoy. I settled on an evening ghost tour of the cemetery and Jenny Wade house. It was creepy and fantastic! We had a riot and still talk about the “orbs” to this day. Thus a McKeever family vacation tradition was born. We now try to include a ghost tour on every family trip. More on that in later posts.

When I heard about the Cemetery Tour hosted by the Cadillac Michigan Historical Tours group, I leaped at the opportunity. The kids wouldn’t be able to join us because they are off living their best lives without us, but Chuck and I could use a little ghostly excitement on an October Saturday night.

I booked the 7 p.m. lantern tour right away. The cost per ticket was a bargain at only $13/each. I’m glad I booked early because the tour sold out quickly. Click here to check out the Cadillac Michigan Historical Tours Facebook page.

Our tour leader, Richard, is a great communicator. Several days before the tour he sent out specific instructions. For example: use this Maple Hill cemetery entrance, park like this, bring a flashlight, this is a walking tour, in the dark, there may be walking hazards be prepared, etc. He was very thorough with his instructions. He and his family even differentiated their instruction by creating a video for those of us that are visual learners. He couldn’t have done anything more, or better honestly.

The lantern led evening tour that I selected, included eight Maple Hill Cemetery grave stops. At each stop, Richard told his audience of 40 people about cadillac’s darker past and mysterious deaths. It was informative and entertaining.

Chuck and I both decided that, although we really enjoyed the lantern led tour, we would probably also like the earlier afternoon tours so that we could see some more of our surroundings. Despite this and the deluge of mosquitoes, I score this historical tour as a 10/10! I really think Richard should charge more!!